Flame Inside Me
by SilverLastsForever
Summary: Oneshot, rated PG because of our lovable pottymouth Kyo. Hiro confronts Tohru. His anger ignites and the flame inside him consumes him around her. First FB story!


Hiro Sohma was sitting on his favorite chair reading a book. He had read the book a thousand times but he still loved reading it.

"Hiro, Hiro!" came a childish voice from behind him.

He fought the blush that was starting to take control off his face and closed his book,

"Yes Kisa?"

"Sissy said we could come over today and watch a movie with her!" Kisa smiled brightly. Oh how he loved her smile but he scowled,

"Can't we watch a movie without her?"

Kisa blinked,

"Without Sissy? Why she invited us over and I wanna' go."

"Fine," he sighed, "But only if she gets us ice cream or something."

"Yay!" Kisa shouted hugging him tightly, "I'll go get ready!"

With that she bounced off.

"Great," Hiro muttered to himself, another day for her to rave about 'Sissy', "I'm only going because it makes her happy."

He put his book down and agitatedly got off his chair. Might as well run a comb through my hair or something, he thought to himself as he went up the stairs of the main house.

A little later as he was pulling his jacket, Kisa flounced merrily down the stairs.

"Ready to go, Hiro?" She asked cheerfully.

"Yeah," was his short reply.

To his surprise, Kisa grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door.

-

"What movie is it anyway?" Hiro asked as they walked along the road. (AN: I'm not so sure they could walk to Shigure's house, but bear with me…)

"It's an American movie," Kisa skipped along joyfully, "It's called 'Home on the Range'. Sissy says it's very funny."

"Well, I hope 'Sissy' is right," Hiro grumbled.

"I'm sure she is!" Kisa smiled brightly up at him. Suddenly her eyes sparkled, "Look Hiro! Were here!"

"I'm overjoy-Uh"

He was cut short by two factors: Kisa once again grabbing his hand and dragging him to the house and the oncoming redness spreading across his face. Kisa has really become more outgoing lately, he though to himself as Kisa let him go and turned her attention to knocking, politely, on the door.

"Ah, Kisa, Hiro!" Shigure said letting them in, "Tohru's been expecting both of you!"

"Thank you Shigure!" Kisa smiled. Hiro remained silent.

"Why you're welcome. Tohru!" he called up the stairs, "You're guests are here!"

Tohru came running down the stairs with her same stupid smile splattered across her face (AN: Hiro's description, not mine!) and Shigure went back to his office,

"Sissy!" Kisa ran to hug her.

"Hello Kisa! How have you and Hiro been doing?" Tohru said sweetly smiling at the two of them.

"We've been doing fine," Hiro cut in, "Not that it's any of your business."

"Hiro, that wasn't very nice," Kisa said softly.

"It's okay Kisa," Tohru smiled, "I'm sure Hiro's just had a bad day or something."

Kisa looked doubtful for a moment then nodded her head. This made Hiro angry; they were talking about him like he wasn't even there!

"Well," he directed pointedly at Tohru, "Are we going to watch that stupid movie or what? Don't be rude, hurry up and be a good hostess."

"Uh, yes of course," Tohru said becoming a little bit frantic, "Come into the living room."

Kisa grabbed Tohru's hand as she followed her. Hiro followed as well, but not before noting angrily the hand-holding.

When they enter the living room and sat down, Tohru was about to put in the movie when Hiro rudely interrupted her,

"Aren't you going to get us snacks? We can't watch a movie without snacks!"

"Hiro-" Kisa was about to start but Tohru cut her off.

"No, it's fine really, I can't expect you guys to watch a movie without snacks can I?" she smiled putting the movie in, "I just start this and then I'll fix you guys some tea and popcorn."

"That's better," Hiro all but snarled, "Now hurry up, we're hungry!"

Tohru nodded and hurried off to the kitchen.

"You shouldn't be so mean to Sissy," Kisa said softly looking at Hiro, "It was nice of her to invite us over."

"Well it was her fault," Hiro tried to reason, "She should have known we were going to want snacks."

Suddenly, they were interrupted by a very loud voice,

"Are you lettin' that punk ass kid take advantage of you again!"

"No Kyo, it's fine, really!" Tohru tried to reason. But it was in vain for as soon as she said that Kyo marched into the living room,

"Are you being rude to Tohru, punk ass?" he directed at Hiro.

"Why should you care, fur ball?" Hiro retorted smoothly.

"Why you little-"

"Kyo," Shigure said in a sing-song voice while grabbing Kyo by the shirt, "I think it's time for you to leave."

"Why you damn mutt let go of me!" Kyo struggled as he was pulled out of the room.

"Okay," Tohru said walking in and carrying a tray, "Tea and popcorn for everyone!"

She set the tray down and the three watched the movie. Kisa and Tohru giggled to each other and laughed throughout the movie. Suddenly it crossed the line and Hiro couldn't handle it anymore. He stood up and simply said 'Bathroom' before marching off. One he got out of the room, he found another empty room and sat down in it.

It made him sick. Tohru's sickly sweet smile constantly on him. Her willingness to let people step on her.

"Doesn't she know that she can't make everyone happy?" he muttered to himself. Because that was what she was trying to do; make everyone happy. He didn't see what was so special about her. She was only doing it to gain something. No one ever did anything for anyone else without something to gain. But what _was_ she trying to gain? Why was she getting so close to everyone; including him and Kisa. She may have Kisa fooled, but he was no sucker. A voice brought him out of his thoughts,

"Hiro?" Tohru asked surprised.

"Yeah?" he answered annoyed.

"Why are you in here? I thought you had to go to the bathroom." Tohru inquired.

"Maybe I just want to be in here," he retorted impudently.

"May I be in here with you?" she asked sitting down.

"If you have to."

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Hiro couldn't hold it any longer,

"What do you have to gain?"

"Excuse me?" Tohru asked surprised.

"Why are you trying to make everyone think you're so perfect?"

"I'm not," Tohru said still not comprehending.

"Making everyone think you're so special. Well guess what," Hiro's anger was rising every second, "I don't think you're that special at all."

"Well, if that's how you feel that's fine…" Tohru trailed off.

"Why are you trying to fix everyone's problems?" The flame inside him was about to consume him. When she didn't answer he blew up,

"You think you can just fix it all!" Hiro yelled not caring anymore if Kisa heard him as the tears started streaming down his face, "Well you can't! You can't fix anything!"

"Hiro, I-" Tohru started.

"I won't let you mess everything up! Kisa was, was **my **friend," Hiro collapsed on the ground, "**My **friend..."

Hiro hated himself at that moment. He hated himself for crying like a weakling, hated himself for pouring out his insecurities. But most of all, he hated Tohru. He hated her for smiling, hated her for always trying to help people; for acting like she understood. That was what infuriated him most, her acting like she understood. He felt the flame smolder inside him. She didn't understand! She was just using everyone; he wasn't sure how but she was! He felt Tohru kneel down beside him but he didn't move. He was about ready to look up at her when he felt a water droplet fall onto his hand. This made him even more angry; why was she crying!

"I'm," he heard her sniff, "I'm sorry Hiro. I had no idea you felt this way. It's just, this is how I was raised; to always be myself and help other people. I don't know any other way to do things."

Hiro stiffened as he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"I know how much you love Kisa and I never wanted to make you feel that I was taking her away."

Hiro's shut eyes snapped open. That was what I was really afraid of wasn't it? That she was taking Kisa away. He let a stray tear fall down his face,

"I don't want Kisa to go away."

"I know," Tohru replied soothingly, "I know how it feels to think you've lost someone."

The flame was back,

"No you don't!" Hiro shouted standing up suddenly, "You can't know how it feels!"

Tohru's sympathetic face remained the same, "I lost my mother and my father, you know."

The flame went out and he looked at her confused,

"You did?"

"Yes."

He sat down beside her and looked at her with a little bit of regret. Maybe she _did_ understand; a little bit. He compromised with himself, she could only understand a _little_ bit.

"How did you feel?" he asked earnestly curious.

"Well, I never really knew my father, but I'm sure he was wonderful," she smiled at him, "But I suppose all children imagine their fathers as the most special person in the world. But I absolutely loved my mother. She **was** the most wonderful person in the world. She was so much fun! She was so wise and caring, too. I was taught everything I know from her."

"So your mother was like you?" Hiro asked remembering the picture he had stolen from her when they first met. He felt a little sorry he had stolen it now that he knew that she had died.

"Well," Tohru thought for a moment, "I wouldn't say that. My always said to 'Be yourself and you'll be fine'. So I really don't think anyone is the same as anybody else."

"You're weird," was Hiro's blunt response.

"Uh, did that sound weird?" Tohru said frantically, "What I meant was that-"

"Save it," Hiro said rolling his eyes, "You've got to start standing up for yourself! If I think it's weird you gotta' say 'so what' got it?"

"Um, okay," Tohru blinked.

"And another thing, say stuff like you're sure of it! Don't go, 'um okay' say 'Okay' like you know what you're taking about! Geez, you have to teach some people everything."

"Let's go fix some snack cakes," Tohru said standing up.

"You mean 'Hiro, I'm going to fix **you and Kisa** some snack cakes'," Hiro smirked walking off to the dining room.

Tohru smiled. That was just the way Hiro was. She could tell he had forgiven her. I think I understand him better now, she thought to herself.

"Alright then," she said cheerfully, "I'll go get you and Kisa some snack cakes."

-

SLF: So how did you all like my attempt at a Fruits Basket fic? I usually only write poetry for FB but this one-shot came to me and I HAD to write it. The actual inspiration is the line '"You think you can just fix it all!" Hiro yelled as the tears streamed down his face, "Well you can't! You can't fix anything!"' which just popped into my head out of nowhere and I started from there. I actually wrote the ending first and all the rest of it afterwards. I hope you guys like my characterization of both Hiro and Tohru. Also I was a little wary of how I did Kisa's character. Review, should I stick to poetry or write out a couple of my other one-shot ideas?


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